Ecosystem services supplied by Mediterranean Basin ecosystems

This chapter explores the main results from the sub-global Millennium Assessments that have been undertaken in the Mediterranean Basin, and analyses the relationships between the provision of ecosystem services and the effect of different drivers of change in different Mediterranean ecosystems. The Mediterranean Basin is located across the south of Europe and the north of Africa. The multifunctional landscapes of the Mediterranean provide many examples of social-ecological systems with a diversity of disturbance levels, where ecosystems with extensive disturbance and human management can reach a peak of species and ecosystem services diversity. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment has inspired several 'sub-global' assessments in the Mediterranean Basin, namely the Spanish National Ecosystem Assessment and the Israel National Ecosystem Assessment. Agroecosystems are those ecosystems managed with the intention of producing, distributing and consuming food, fuel and fibre. Trade-offs between ecosystem services occur in agroecosystems. Mediterranean forests and scrublands are important ecological infrastructure for biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services to people.